Why talented free agent Ben Arfa would be ideal for Leicester City

According to Goal, Leicester City will swoop for Hatem Ben Arfa if Riyad Mahrez leaves the club.

The report claims that Leicester are among a number of clubs tracking the former Newcastle United man, and they will make a move for the player should Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain sign Mahrez.

The Foxes are currently in the midst of a testing time, having won the Premier League title in remarkable fashion and thus seeing a number of their top stars linked with moves away.

Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kante, Kasper Schmeichel and Riyad Mahrez all have question marks regarding their future at the club, not least the latter who has seen his stock rise tenfold over the past 12 months.

Mahrez netted 17 times while adding a further 11 assists during Leicester’s title win, therefore it comes as little surprise to see top clubs interested in the 25-year-old’s services.

Losing him would be a disappointed for Leicester, yet one man who could soften the blow somewhat is free agent Ben Arfa following his wonderful campaign back in his native France with Nice.

The 29-year-old has an abundance of ability, yet injury problems and lack of consistent game-time meant spells at Newcastle and Hull City didn’t exactly go to plan for the former Marseille man.

Ben Arfa went in to rediscover his best form this past season, scoring 17 goals and adding a further six assists in 32 starts as he featured predominantly as a central attacking midfielder.

Leicester may not find a player as good as Mahrez on the cheap, yet as far as potential replacements go, Ben Arfa is very much like-for-like and seemingly ready to make his mark at a leading club.

With his short contract at Nice set to expire, he is certainly one of the best free agent signings on the market.

Tom Thorogood

I'm a 27 year old language teacher and writer based out in Mexico with a passion for football and swimming. I like to focus on the top European Leagues, especially La Liga, as well as the footballing development in Central and South America. My favourite teams include Derby County, Barcelona and Jagaures de Chiapas.